Operation Safeway a success
Met officers engaged with more than 5,000 motorcycle and scooter riders last week (16-22 March) as part of Operation Safeway.
The Roads and Transport Policing Command Motorcycle Safety Team, funded by Transport for London, were out encouraging riders to take part in future BikeSafe-London and ScooterSafe-London rider skill assessment days, which are designed to educate riders to become safer road users through combining observed rides with interactive presentations and advice on keeping safer. More than 26,000 motorcyclists and scooter riders have attended a London Rider Skills Day since 2003.
The Motorcycle Safety Team operates across London on police motorbikes to reduce the number of riders of powered two wheeler (P2W) vehicles killed or seriously injured. They clamp down on illegal and anti-social road user behaviour such as speeding, careless riding, red light running and traffic violations by motorcyclists and other road users.
During the week the team also carried out enforcement activity on priority offences committed by all road users, resulting in more than 130 fixed penalty notices being issued for red traffic light contravention, driving without wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone whilst driving and excess speed. A total of 13 riders/drivers were processed for vehicle defects – two of the vehicles were taken off the road due to the severity of the defects.
Inspector Dave Osborne, Roads and Transport Policing Command, said, ‘Improving rider behaviour and skills through education and enforcement has a major impact in preventing tragedies on London’s roads.
‘This operation has been extremely well received by the motorcycle community and early indications are that the uptake on the BikeSafe day has been excellent.’
Siwan Hayward, TfL’s deputy director of enforcement and on-street operations, said, ‘Motorcyclists and scooter riders are among the most vulnerable road users and so it is important that we take action to reduce their risk of collision on London’s roads.
‘BikeSafe-London and ScooterSafe-London aim to educate riders and improve their knowledge, skills and experience. They are part of our wider work, undertaken in partnership with London’s policing agencies, to reduce risk and danger through balanced enforcement and education, making London’s busy streets safer for all road users.’
